The woe-begotten Wild unearthed one brick in the foundation while trying to manufacture a competitive NHL team Saturday night in Vancouver, then added another Sunday.

Whether that’s a start or just the beginning of a total reconstruction project is impossible to determine after an abysmal five-game losing streak and a 1-6 overall record that has the Wild off to their worst start in nine NHL seasons.

One bright spot seems to be the assured play of goaltender Niklas Backstrom in a 2-1 loss to the Canucks. Another was the acquisition of former first-round draft pick Chuck Kobasew from the Boston Bruins on Sunday.

Backstrom, who had a subpar 1-3 record, a subpar .902 save percentage and a subpar 3.01 goals-against average when he arrived in Vancouver, looked like the Backstrom of old, stopping 37 of 39 shots, including several when Canucks players were skating free in front of the net.

Coach Todd Richards, who comes to praise his players and not to bury them after a loss, made something of a 180-degree spin after the Canucks game but nevertheless saluted Backstrom’s play. “This is the type of game you need from your goalie when you’re struggling to find wins,” he said.

The problem for the first time this season, Richards lamented, was lack of puck possession. Over and over, the Canucks got to the puck first, then held on to it while the Wild chased.

No offense, but …

Asked about his team’s dearth of offense after it managed just one goal and 18 shots against the Canucks, center Mikko Koivu protested.

“I think we had a lot of chances. I think the offense was there,” said Koivu, whose pass that was deflected into the Vancouver goal was his second goal in seven games this season. “I don’t agree on that. It’s just a matter of putting the puck in the net.”

OK, how?

“Well, we’ll do that, and hopefully then you will come to me and say, ‘You were right.'”

Maybe Kobasew, 27, will become a key factor in that. The 6-foot, 192-pound forward scored 22 goals two seasons ago and 21 last season for Boston.

Before their game in Vancouver, the Wild were losing but were getting chances and frequently outshooting their opponents. They outplayed San Jose in a 4-2 loss and played solid games in Anaheim and Edmonton, despite losing 3-2 and 5-2, respectively. Shots on goal were about even or tilted the Wild’s way, and despite the score, their play against the Oilers represented their most consistent 60 minutes of the season.

Then, on Day 11 of an 11-day road trip, Richards pointed out, “It caught up to us.”

The Wild, missing injured forwards Cal Clutterbuck, Petr Sykora, Martin Havlat and Pierre-Marc Bouchard, appeared to play the second period and most of the third on fumes. A brief push at the end couldn’t erase Vancouver’s lead, but it reminded the players that this team is not as miserable as its record.

“As long as you’re getting chances, you’re going in the right direction,” Kiovu said. “It’s just that when you get a couple goals you get confidence, and I’m sure around the nets we will get more offense.

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